Familiar Strangers (there are two stories of this)
by cecld16
Summary: (Manga spoilers) A month from the defeat of the Titans. Battle worn, wary and finding it hard to settle down into a peaceful life, Levi's squad are dragged into another time. Where humanity has not yet defeated the Titans. Where people that have died are still alive. Where Levi's original squad is still alive. Where everything is not as it seems.
1. Levi's Cracked Stone

Levi woke up, his eyes shifting in the light, the light was almost blinding. Levi sighed, getting up. Why this life? Sure he didn't imagine after the war it would be roses and daises but this?

He felt the sense of boredom drag into him.

Who's stupid idea was it to stop all the soldiers from the Titan war working?

They could still help with keeping the piece, now quite a lot of people were fighting over new territories they found outside the walls.

But…They were used to fighting Giants.

Not people.

The general feel of any soldiers who had fought in the Titan War and survived was either awe or fear.

And the general public feeling was that the soldiers who fought in the war were to violent and destructive.

This also was backed up by irritating counceling sessions, the person who they had been talking to had basically said it would help them fit better into civilian life if they split up from each other and they wouldn't be to noticed and it would help with their emotional states of mind.

Emotional states of minds?

Ha.

They were all fine!

His councerler had critically pointed out, everyone in his squad at some point during the war had killed and had some sort of emotional brake down.

So they were far from fine.

Tch

He hadn't had a brake down, going on a Titan killing spree when some times he had been in blind rage wasn't an emotional brake down!

His councerler seemed to disagree.

The councerling session had been forced on every soldier back from the Titan war, some more that others.

Some of Levi's squad had sneakily managed to avoid them.

Lucky bastards.

Levi had run out of luck.

He got dressed and got a cup of coffee to wake himself up more.

He wondered randomly if he had time to give his flat another clean before the councillor got here?

Soon the door knocked.

Levi sighed, his shoulder's dropping in disappointment.

He walked over and unlocked the door, wondering viciously what would happen if he slammed the door back on her face but then he'd probably be proving the public's view of them…

So he let her in regretfully.

He sat in his usual chair.

"So how was yesterday Levi?" She asked friendly.

Her blonde hair bouncing in her energetic energy.

He just glared at her.

Miss Doroto sighed sadly and it sounded really patronising….

"So we're back to that are we? I though I had almost gotten a little bit through your hard shell" She said.

Levi's hand tightened considerably on the mug.

Remembering her earlier visit and her horrid questions…

**_You are like stone aren't you? _**

_Impossible to crack. _

_I wonder if this will. _

**_Do you still blame yourself for their deaths? _**

_You know who I mean… _

_Right there… **Can I see a crack?**_


	2. Jean's Maturity

"JEAN! JEAN, DARLING!"

Jean woke up, startled. He cursed when he noticed his mother and father in front of them, a sad look on their faces but also fearful, they were worried…for him.

He winced and sighed, rubbing his forehead, feeling the sweat from his face. After a minute thinking about the dream he said resigned "I was doing it again wasn't I? "

He looked down, rubbing his temples, trying to clear his head before he looked back at them and said irritated "Look! Like I've told you many times, I'm fine!"

"Darling, you've been screaming in your sleep ever since you got home" His mother replied worriedly.

Jean lied, looking away from them "Its not like I can remember what I was screaming about anyway"

"Jean-" His father said.

"I'M FINE! Stop babying me!" Jean snapped.

It felt like ever since he'd gotten back, they'd been all over him. How many sessions with the doctor would it take to make them relax?

All he wanted, all he needed was some piece and quite, didn't they get that?

He'd been surrounded by the battle.

Screams of agony.

Roars of Giants.

Now his parents prodding…

All he wanted was some silence.

Wasn't that….

Wasn't that so much to ask?

After everything he'd been through?

Just some silence?

"Now Jean, don't take that tone with us" His father scolded.

Jean said slowly, trying not to loose his temper "I just meant…I'm not a kid, I need you both to stop treating me like one"

His mother sighed and said carefully "We know darling but you still are growing up-"

Jean said grimly, eyes gazing further away, suddenly blazing with light "I've done my growing up"

How did they expect him to act like a normal teenager?

But…

They somehow did.

His parents seemed to expect after everything he'd come back home, help out the family, make friends with other teenagers his own age and go and hang out round there house. After everything would be back to normal.

Normal.

He hated that word.

It was a vile word.

Its not like he didn't try and make friends but everyone his parents expected him to make friends with were all wrong.

They were to snobbish, or to childish or to selfish.

He'd watch them sometimes, wondering really, had he been like that?

Had he been such a brat?

All those kids made his skin cruel and him sneer in disgust.

Jean also had to stop contacting or writing any letters to his actual friends. The doctor thinking it was best if he lost contact with his friends from the Titan war. Saying it would help with the nightmares.

It didn't.

Just made him feel all the more lonely.


	3. Connie's Ghosts

Connie woke up, gasping for breath.

Eyes wide he gripped his head, calming down from the storm inside him. His heartbeat that had been raising going back to normal, slowly. He grimaced slightly as his middle finger was cut with the dagger he'd been sleeping with.

The wicked edge digging into his finger.

Connie slipped it into his belt as he got dressed. Already the silence of the small crapped house was getting to him.

Connie walked to the kitchen, getting his breakfast. The familiar numb feeling overtaking his body, the cut in his finger no longer hurting.

His body taking him where he went everyday, every movement having no thought behind it.

Everyday it was the same thing.

His eyes was glazed over, his mind somewhere else.

Connie sat on the stupidly big table. His eyes roamed the four other empty seats.

He briefly wondered why he had brought those seats in the first place.

Maybe there had been a small empty piece of him had hoped there would somehow be people occupying those chairs.

Connie had thought of trying to get flat mates but then what would he tell them? And every person he had seen in the papers looking for a house to share hadn't seemed right.

But he knew why.

There were only a couple of people that had the right to sit in those chairs…

They who he hadn't had the guts to write any letters to.

But Connie knew really who those chairs where for…

They were for people who could never ever sit in them, only in his imagination.

One of them probably still going through experiments in the Military, but he'd lost track of which branch had her.

He had used to visit her every day when she'd been close to his flat then they moved her and he had no idea where to.

Besides its not like he missed her…

Who could miss a Titan?

Their conversations weren't that great.

It mostly evolved him talking and sometimes she'd grunt, on occasion she would try to eat him.

So yeah…

What kind of idiot would miss a Titan for company?

What kind of idiot...

The other three were most probably dead.

He glanced at the picture of his family, his parents and brother and sister.

The picture sat on top of the table, in the middle of the four chairs.

It, despite the mess and dust everywhere else was sparkling clean.

He dusted it and cleaned it everyday.

Even Captain would have been impressed at how clean the portrait looked Connie thought, wondering what Levi was up to now.

Connie's eyes were dull and lifeless as he readied himself for the chores for the day.

Connie eat his breakfast slowly, his eyes staying fixed on the portrait in front of him, as he tried to imagine having breakfast with their ghosts instead of the silence.

The silence was never ending.


	4. Sasha I Wrote

Sasha wrote and wrote.

Armin sometimes answered.

No one else did…

She had a funny feeling someone was stopping her letters.

Why would they not write?

She defiantly knew why Connie wasn't replying. She glanced at her bin next to her, every letter written to him had been crumbled up and thrown into the bin.

Nothing she wrote to him seemed to be actual worth anything.

Nothing she wrote made sense.

She always messed up his letters but she never knew why…

When Sasha tried writing to him her hands shook to much or she wrote some sort of nonsense he shouldn't read.

Sasha's room is littered in letters, the ones Armin replied to are stuck up on her wall, like its a proud moment when one of her comrade replies.

She writes a letter everyday for everyone in their squad.

But again there is still one letter she can never send.

She could hear her parents down stairs.

"Sasha up there again?" Her uncle asked her father.

Her father sighed "Just like always, though I don't understand why she spends so much time writing those letters, its hardly helping her let go"

Sasha grimaced, thinking about her time with her councerler, who had advised to stop writing letters, saying it would be better if Sasha let go of her old life and started the new.

Its not like she hadn't tried, she had gone out hunting like she used to do but she had been to jumpy, it had felt like a Titan would come out any second and eat her, her shooting was of and she had caught nothing.

Going out hunting hadn't given her any sense of piece of mind, only writing seemed to help but even then it couldn't stop the nightmares.

Sasha supposed thats what everyone else had done, started a new life, thats probably why they hadn't sent her any letters back.

But she couldn't do it.

And had reacted badly…

"No! Theres no way I'm doing that!"

She had stood up, knocking over her chair.

"Sasha-" Her councerler, miss Robins had said.

"No, you…you…" She couldn't think of a word to say that would describe her councerler in the worst possible way.

Only.

"Say anything like that again and I'll shoot you, understand? I'm amazing with the bow an arrow" Then she stormed from the room.

Leaving Miss Robins pissing her pants.

Like that her councerling sessions had been over.

Good riddance.


	5. Armin and Mikasa's Right To Eat

Armin sighed, he sat in a chair in his towns library, reading a long winded book that he really wasn't really interesting but was proving useful for ignoring the stony stairs a certain Asian girl was giving him behind his back.

"Armin" She warned him.

"I will, just give me 5 minutes" He said irritably.

Trying to look like he was enjoying his book to much.

"You said that two hours ago Armin" She hissed.

Mikasa glared at him angrily.

She told him seriously "If you don't I will shove it down your throat"

Armin winced…

Yep Eren was right…She could be a little bit overbearing.

Since she couldn't mother hen Eren she was now doing it to him.

Though he supposed it was his own fault…

He and Mikasa were the only two who hadn't actually needed a councerler, surprise surprise, though he'd heard Connie had sneakily been able to avoid them while Sasha had told him in her letter how she's scared her's of.

Armin couldn't blame her.

He had been to councerling once and the only thing he'd done was make his life worse buy telling Mikasa what was wrong with him…

He had an eating disorder.

That he would have liked keeping under wraps intill he'd gone to see that one dreaded concealing session.

Now Mikasa was trying to force food down his throat at every opportunity.

Sometimes he even was jealous of Eren.

A minute later Mikasa had dragged him out of the Library and into the flat they shared.

She dumped some bread in front of him and told him sternly "Eat"

Armin looked away, picking up the bread but not taking a bite.

As usual as he stared at the food, a sickness sneaking up inside him, his face going green.

"Armin" Mikasa said but this time she sounded sad.

"I-I can't" Armin choked, feeling like he was going to throw up.

She wrapped her arms around him in comfort.

Armin was surprised at first at what she was doing then relaxed.

Then he spoke out finally what was clouding his mind.

"So m-many people dead…I-I just can't"

"It wasn't your fault" She said.

Armin whimpered "I know…But they'll never eat again, never breath again…Why should we? What gives us the right?!"

_Why are we still alive?_

_What gives us the right?_

_When so many people worth much more, never made it?_


	6. Eren's Loss

Eren sat in the nurse bed. He was in hospital again. Dehydrated apparently. Not like he gave that much of a shit. He had had fainted while going on his morning walk through the woods near the village he now lived in.

While busy wondering what kind of chemical they'd stick in him this time. He'd undergo many experiments since the Titan war. Once a week he would go to a lab where they would test certain drugs on him to see how it would affect him.

So far nothing seemed to work abnormally.

Eren glanced around him, not surprised at the scared looks he was getting. Only he and Levi seemed to get recognised easily. Everyone knew the face of Captain Levi and Eren Jeager. Some were scared while others hero worshipped them though most were scared.

At first he'd been hurt at the public reaction to him, he'd saved their lives and proved his loyalty to human kind time and time again and yet they still didn't trust him?

Eren had been surprised how this mistrust had been directed at his comrades as well, even though they didn't get recognised as much, if was clear what the public view of Levi's squad was.

Even clearer once they all had been shoved to different area's of the land, as far away from each other as possible and their Squad by law disbanded. They had saved humanities lives and this was the thanks they got?

The rest of the squad seemed non plussed at the publics reaction to them, they were still trying to get over the war and their own personal scars from the war to really care that much about what the world thought of them.

Eren guessed he was selfish in a way and maybe somehow naive, expected to be greeted back a hero.

True there had been some moments like that but those moments seemed to be getting rarer and rarer.

He missed them…

Missed them all so much.

Levi's leadership with tornado and fire like personality, that no one seemed to be able to defeat. He even missed Levi's scowls and that was saying something!

Mikasa with her protective attitude towards him, showing how deeply she cared for him and how she never took anything lying down.

Armin with his smart strategies and his kindness.

Sasha with her love for food and overall positive personality, how she helped everyone stay upbeat with the situations they were put in.

Connie with his speed and compassionate nature, always wanting or finding a way to help the squad, no matter the cost.

And Jean with his leadership skills and knack of being able to get everyone into gear and knock them into shape if they doubted themselves or faulted.

He missed every single one of them.

And yet he could not bring himself to write to them.

What could he say?

Nothing could change what happened to all of them.

Nothing could change how he knew they were all struggling with normal lives.

Eren was envious of them.

He was having chemicals shoved into him ever week by doctors that seemed to want to find ways to kill him rather than help him.

Though he knew that wasn't true thats what it felt like.

He sighed leaning backwards on his bed wishing he was somewhere else.

Anywhere else.


	7. Falling Through Time

**848-Year**

"Is it ready?" Erwin Commander of the Survey Corps asked.

"It will be ready by tomorrow sir" A Solder replied.

"This is so exiting!" Hange squealed next to Erwin "We'll be able to know what happens in the future! With this machine we'll beat the Titans! I'm sure of it! Maybe they'll know more about the Titans in the future and-"

"Would you stop? You're mindless chatting is giving us both headaches" Levi said boardly.

He tells Erwin "I still don't see why we are going this? What if it doesn't work and that old man is really insane after all? I personally wouldn't be surprised and why not send us into the future instead of taking just a couple of solders from the future? Surely that would make more sense? If this machine ever does work"

"He told us why Levi. I personally have my doubts as well but I'd rather take my chance here than later. He also explained to us how it works. It will find the most capable solders alive in the future around the time the Titan numbers are low, if they ever are and bring them here"

"Sir! Doctor Tarry really wishes to speak to you, he says he has found exiting news sir!" A solder suddenly shouts, saluting Erwin.

Erwin and Levi looked at each other.

"Stay here" He ordered Levi then walked into the room they had been standing outside.

"Doctor?" Erwin asked, confused as he walked into the room, eyeing the machine.

The time travelling machine.

It was attached to a number of beds where the future solders would lye. Tarry had said the machine force of time traveling would knock them all unconscious for a few days.

The machine was made out of metal contraptions and a strange blue liquid energy bottled inside. It seemed to sparkle in the light.

Erwin spotted the Doctor watching a screen looking…really exited?

"Commander Erwin sir!" He yelped "You would never guess what I have found!"

"What is it?" Erwin demanded.

Tarry said, his voice trembling in pure excitement "As you know through this machine I can not tell anything of which Solders it picked, it will read through their experiences in their minds and how able their physical bodies are to combat Titans. I can not also tell which time in the future they will be from, only when the Titan number is at its lowest. Though what I _CAN_ find out from my machine is how many Titans there are while the most capable solders are still alive and capable and look what I found!"

He twisted his small remote that tracked how many titans there were each year. And a number stuck out for the Commander.

He had difficulty keeping his composure.

"That…can't be possible" Erwin murmured, eyes wide.

"My machine never lies!" Tarry said.

There was only one number there…

Number 1…

1…

Only 1 Titan alive…

In the whole world.

Erwin for the first time felt a little bit of hope, squeeze into his hardened ice cold heart.

"How long will it take to get the future solders here?" Erwin asked, keeping his voice from shaking.

Tarry smirked at him, his hands going towards a lever.

"I lied, I wanted you to be surprised. The machine is ready to go, it doesn't need a day.. so…" He said shakily

"One of the biggest discovery's in human kind finally found out" Tarry added, softy.

With a deep breath he grabbed the lever and pulled.

The blue liquid started to bubble and glow?

The machine started to shake…

Then a flash of blue light.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**In The Future. **

**Levi's** mind goes hazy as he listens to his councerler drown on, then he gasped as a sharp pain engulfs his body.

Was his body glowing?

Then everything went black.

**Sasha** dropped one of her letters, she fell on the floor. Her eyes widening in pain.

Her pen that she clutched in her hand falling to the floor with a soft clunk.

She was glowing a odd blue colour?

Then everything went black.

**Connie** dropped his drink, hands clenching into fist's in pain.

What the…?

He only managed to stop himself from falling from his chair once he realised his body was glowing an odd colour.

Then everything went black.

**Mikasa and Armin** both gasped in pain.

"What, what is this?" Armin cried out.

Everything hurt!

Both of their bodies starting glowing a odd blue colour.

Then everything went black.

**Jean** grimaced, stoping a whimper from coming from him.

His parents worried cries falling deaf to his ears.

His ears where ringing.

His body was glowing and he had an odd sensation of falling then everything went black.

**Eren** suddenly curled up in sudden pain.

Why was his body glowing blue?

Had the Scientists given him something that would kill him after all?

He had an weird sensation of falling before everything went black.

Levi and his Squad all had an odd sensation of falling before they blacked out.

_Little did they know it was because they were falling… _

**_Falling through Time. _**


	8. The Two Levi's

Erwin watched as the blue light slowly stopped blinding him. His eyes widened as he couldn't hide his shock as he saw seven strangers unconscious in the beds though one looked very…very familiar.

That can't be… He thought.

"Levi?" He muttered.

Tarry gaped, his machine actually worked?

Amazing!

But wasn't that Lance Corporal Levi?

This didn't make any sense…

Commander Erwin swiftly turned and walked outside.

"Levi" He shouted.

"Yes Commander?" Levi asked, walking towards him.

Erwin stared at Levi for a bit.

Noting both Levi's were wearing different clothes but they were still…the same?

"I think you should come with me" Erwin said grimly.

Captain Levi frowned at him, confused.

He followed him inside the room, his eyes scanning the machine then he saw…

"Fuck" Levi muttered.

"Erwin I'm not seeing things am I?" Levi asked, his voice for once full of surprise.

"I'm afraid not" Erwin said slowly.

"T-there really are two of you? This is amazing! This is-" Tarry shut up at the frosty glare Levi gave him.

"Do you recognise these other people?" Erwin asked Levi.

He pointed to the young adults or older teenagers that were lying in the beds unconscious next to the unconscious Levi.

Levi shook his head confused.

He eyed…himself warily and it slowly started to make sense.

"So…if this machine takes people from the future, is that me…in the future? I'll be alive when practically all the Titans are wiped from this land?" Levi said, his voice surprisingly soft.

"It…seems so" Erwin said.

Levi stated the question already going inside Erwins mind "If I'm alive and a capable solder, shouldn't you be there to Sir? Not these brats?"

Erwin looked grim, worried what this might mean "Depending on how far it is in the future, it is save to say I may have not had made it"

Levi paled very quickly, did Erwin mean what he thought he meant?

Erwin gave the Captain a smile "Your sorrow eludees me Levi, do not grief for me. I am still standing in front of you am I not? And we got them here to able to help change the future as well as deal with the Titans, who knows, my death may not be written in stone"

Levi looked a little better at that.

Suddenly Captain Levi, the unconscious one stirred.

"I though you said they had a day before they woke up?!" Erwin snapped.

"I'm sorry! Thats what I thought?!" Tarry snapped, working away at the machine.

Erwin turned to the current Levi "I suggest you go. I doubt you would react well to there being two of you"

Levi snorted "True, I'd probably try and stab myself"

His eyes sparkled as he said "Mmm, me sparring with…myself? That'll be a fight to see"

Erwin looked amused, thinking about it "I think it would"

Levi quickly left after that.

And Erwin stood there, waiting for the future Levi to wake up.

Captain Levi groaned, rubbing his head.

"What the fuck happened" He wondered.

"I'm glad you haven't lost that mouth of yours" Erwin said gently.

Captain Levi's eyes widened as he stared at Erwin, his eyes flickered to the other people unconscious still, seemingly to be more relaxed once realising they were all fine.

"E-erwin?" Levi said slowly "What-"

"I suggest you relax, this'll be a lot to take in" Erwin told him seriously.


	9. The Awakening

"This is impossible" Levi muttered, his eyes wide.

"Not quite as impossible as you may think" Erwin said gently.

Erwin watched as Levi looked at the other future people unconscious still on the beds. Levi gritted his teeth, taking control of his emotions that was full of puzzlement and uncertainty.

"Will they be okay?" Levi asked.

Erwin nodded "They should all wake up soon"

Erwin looked at the young future solders, he asked Levi politely, knowing _this_ Levi was probably wary of him "Do you mind me asking who they are?"

Levi frowned at him then quickly remembered what Erwin had told him, so...he didn't know them yet then…

He wasn't sure what he should say.

Could it change the future?

Where they stuck in the past?

Was there anyway to get back to their own timeline?

He said carefully "They're my squad"

Erwin's eyes widened slightly though that was the only sign of surprise "So your current squad-"

Levi looked down, his expression hard.

"I'm sorry Levi" Erwin muttered.

Captain Levi didn't reply, looking stiff.

Levi murmured "Quite the muddle you've got yourself in huh Erwin?"

"Maybe" The Commander agreed.

"You're probably wondering if you died. Well no. If this machine does what you says it does, it wouldn't have found you the most capable solder, with your _arm bitter of and all_" Levi stated, his voice normal like he was talking about the weather.

Erwin frowned slightly "Ah…"

"Indeed" The Captain said, with a bitter smile.

He looked towards his squad and told Erwin seriously "They won't be happy when they wake up Erwin. We've just finished a war…then for you to drag us into another one"

"I always wondered if we were just tools for you to use for the sake of mankind. Now I know for sure" Levi said, his voice emotionless once again.

"Levi-" Erwin started.

"Don't! Have you any idea... how many comrades I have watched _fucking die_ over these past years Erwin? More than I can count and your practically forcing me and my squad to go through it all over again?" He said harshly.

"So they won't do it?" Erwin asked, his voice and his expression hardening.

"Get of your high horse. You won't need force. No…They'll do it. I know they will. But if we're all alive by the end of this you and I are really going to have some words" Levi said, eyeing his past Commander critically.

"Your trust in me has changed" Erwin said, almost sadly.

"Mmm" Was all Levi said.

Erwin stiffened as two members of Levi's squad stirred.

Erwin walked over to where the two solders lay.

Levi sat up straighter on the bed.

The young man with light ash brown hair eyes shot open, he pulled quick gasps from his lungs, then gripping his head to stop the dizziness.

He looked around, a little panicked.

"Jean, relax. We're all fine" Levi said, his voice carrying some authority.

He relaxed slightly at the sound of Levi's voice, his eyes finally finding Levi.

Erwin noticed Jean tense a tiny bit, a slight stiffening of his shoulders as he saw Erwin.

Erwin frowns, it seems Levi's squad share his new distrust of me.

"Whats going on?" Jean asked hurriedly.

"I'm sure Erwin would love to explain once everyone has woken up" Levi grunted, shooting Erwin a look that practically stated, _this if your own fault so you tell them. _

The young women by Jean's side slowly woke up though her awakening was much more relaxed than Jeans though she did look tense and alert once her dazeness had gone away from waking up.

Her name Erwin learnt was Sasha.

Next another two solders awoke, they woke up around the same time as each other. The young women almost jumped up out of bed, ready for battle instantly though the young man with blonde hair, though quite small and thin looking calmed her down quickly.

Their names were Mikasa and Armin.

Mikasa broke into a huge smile of relief as she spotted Eren among the sleepers. He hadn't woken up yet.

Only two more young men to go, Erwin noted.

One of them woke up. The young man with a buzz cut. He seemed a little dazed like Sasha at first then a bit panicked like Jean but Levi calmed him down easily.

So name is Connie Erwin thought as Sasha soothed him a bit.

One more to go.

He noticed some of the members watching Eren's sleeping figure warily.

Others hoping Eren wouldn't be an idiot and in his panic go Titan.

While others were wondering how the past would react to Eren's power to shape shift so soon in the past.

They were all worried.

Luckily he woke up reasonably well, though mostly due to Mikasa and Levi calmness.

"I-I don't understand" Eren muttered, only suddenly just noticing Erwin somehow had his arm back.

"I'm glad. So Commander would you like to tell them _the utter crap you've just pulled them all into_?" Levi said dryly.


	10. The Cold And Resentful Agreement

Erwin raised his eyebrows at Levi's behaviour but ignored it.

"Okay, I think you need to settle down, this'll take time to explain" Erwin said grimly.

He told them how the machine worked at what they had done, what date and year it was. Why they were here.

Sasha said narrowing her eyes at the Commander "So we're here to help you fight against the Titans…again"

Jean's hands had curled into fists, his dreams of some silence and piece disappearing , his hands turned white due to the pressure it was putting on them and he said, anger lacing his words "You expect us to go to hell and back again? We're all here out of our own timelines and you want us to fight? And we're supposed to just sit back and take it, is that it?"

Connie felt like he was going to explode.

He was meant to go through everything he'd been through again? Watch as his village was destroyed and his comrades killed…

But wait…

Connie looked up sharply "But, we know what will happen, we can change things right?"

Erwin said "Well to a certain extent, we don't-"

"Extent? What do you mean by that?" Connie demanded, not caring he was actually talking to the Commander.

"We can't change the future to much of there is no way for you all to predict and tell us what will come next" Erwin said calmly.

Connie wrung his hands together, clearly frustrated.

Everyone in Levi's squad could guess very easily what he was thinking about.

Could he save his village?

That wouldn't change the future to much…Would it?

All of Levi's squad were now thinking about what they could or what they wanted to change.

Erwin said carefully "As you all can guess messing up time is a dangerous thing. Certain people still have to die, for the future to make sense and certain people have to live. For example there is two of you right now. Your future self which is you here and your current self that lives in this time line. Say you saved someone that wasn't meant to be saved and they ended up by accident killing your younger self? You're future selves cease to exist. Your future would cease to exist. I can tell you all played a big part in the future of destroying the Titans, maybe by not existing you could change everything, for worse"

Armin said grimly "So your practically saying that our current self, in this time line is more worth and if one of us has to die it'll be us from the future. If we die nothing will happen to our past selves. If our past selves die then we would cease to exist maybe changing the future for the worst as we know it"

Erwin didn't respond, looking even more grim.

"So we are tools" Levi said, though his voice was emotionless and bored.

Eren stood up suddenly, looking incredibly angry, staring down at Erwin, before Erwin could respond to Levi "I can't believe this! We've just came out of a war! We've all watched so many people die! And your saying we might not be able to save them after all! We've all seen so much, to much!"

Suddenly he slumped, his head in his hands, his voice suddenly full of pure sadness and grief, his shoulders sagging in defeat "D-don't we deserve some a peaceful life? A normal life for once! We all were almost there! A-and you've _just_…Just…UGH!"

He pulled at his hair a little bit, just trying to get the anger out of his system.

Armin spoke what they were all thinking "After everything that happened…D-don't we deserve a rest?"

"A rest…that sounds nice" Connie murmured, he sounded very tired all of a sudden and worn.

They hadn't gotten a rest after the war.

All it had been was desperately trying to fit into civilian life. To be normal.

But pretending to be normal was so hard…

That hadn't been rest.

Maybe once they'd all got used to the normal life and it didn't seem to hard any more to pretend to be an ordinary civilian, then they could have actually had a rest.

But now even that had been taken away from them to.

Levi looked at Erwin with a what did I tell you look.

Erwin said more firmly "The fact is humanity needs you"

"_I'm starting to think humanity can shove its needs up its_-" Connie winced as Sasha elbowed him to shut up.

He promptly did though looking pretty irritated at the whole situation.

Erwin said coldly to the squad "Did you all not promise to give your heart, to give everything to humanity?"

"Yeah? Not in this time line" Jean growled.

"You'd really not help us? You'd leave us to ruin?" Erwin demanded.

"Sometimes thats the way the world works" Armin murmured, he sighed sounding resigned as he added "Of course we'll help. I bet you'd of gotten us to help either if we did it willingly or not, right?"

Erwin clenched his jaw together, not answering.

Armin said grimly, more serious and Erwin started to realise why this seemingly thin young man was on Levi's squad, their was a certain type fire and determination in his eyes no one could copy "We'll help but don't expect us to jump with joy about it"

The rest of the squad agreed but it was half hearted and resentful agreement.

Erwin realised as he looked at each member that if they all knew a way to get back to their own times they'd most probably take it and leave this time line and humanity to rot.

Erwin wondered darkly what the members of the Squad and been through to even think of doing that.

It was a ruthless and cold thought


	11. No Problem At All

The young women who sat close to Eren was silent throughout the conversation, regarding Erwin darkly but not commenting on anything throughout the conversation.

It made Commander Erwin wonder what was going on in that head of hers.

Everyone seemed to ignore her silence, taking it as normal then Erwin did to.

"So I assume you have plans for us Commander?" Levi asked stiffly.

"That I do" Erwin murmured, seemingly in his own thoughts then he shouted to the door "Hange, Levi and Tarry! You can all come in now"

Everyone tensed.

They walked in warily.

They stared at each other.

(**I'll call the Captain Levi from the past Levi. The Levi from the future Levi**)

The two Levi's stared at each other.

"Now this is kind of fucking creepy" Captain Levi said.

"Yes" Levi said slowly, blinking at his past self.

Erwin said importantly "They have agreed to help us defeat the Titan"

"What, I understand me but what about these brats?" Captain Levi said, looking at them with mistrust.

Erwin frowned, wondering why Levi had so many young people in his squad.

He asked them "Mind me asking how old you all are?"

Jean stepped forward, standing to attention before them "We are all 18 to 19 Sir!"

So now you choose to act respectful Erwin thought, with my company in front of me.

Levi said stiffly "They are young yes, but I assure you they are more than capable"

"I'll be the judge of that" Erwin said grimly, looking his squad up and down.

They all tensed at his inspection.

"Where are you in this time?' Erwin asked, taking control of the situation.

There was a silence that followed then Sasha stood to attention and said confidently "We are in the 104th trainee recruits sir!"

"So young Levi" Erwin said with disproval.

"I hand picked them myself" Levi retorted, eyes narrowing in his direction.

Captain Levi was listening to the conversation, a flash of confusion in his eyes as he said "Hand picked them for what?"

No one said anything.

_He didn't know…_

Didn't know his current squad would die…

_No one answered him._

Hange was just grinning at them all with excitement.

Levi said, ignoring his past self, talking to the commander "If you doubt their abilities, may I suggest something?"

"You may?" Erwin said interested.

Levi looked at his squad and said grimly "Put them in the 104th trainee squad. They'll have to meet their past selves at some point right? If they excel in the training then that would be proof they are capable would it not?"

His squad looked less than pleased with that idea but they stood silently, holding their tongs.

Obedient.

Like good solders.

"That sounds plausible" Erwin replied.

"This is so exiting! Do I make it in the future? What happens in the future? Whats up with that one Titan that is still there?" Hange asked cheerily.

Jean glanced sideways at Connie before saying "Its there for testing"

"What type of tests? The ones I do? Am I doing the tests? What does it look like? Does it feel pain? What you name it? What else did you find out about them? Please, please tell me!" Hange pleaded.

Connie was slowly going sickly green colour.

Levi interrupted "I don't think thats the right time for this"

Erwin nodded "Quite right. Theres no time like the present"

Tarry shut the machine of as Ewin told Hange to escort Levi's squad to some extra rooms.

Soon it was just him and the two Levi's.

Both looked a little uncomfortable with each other.

"I think you'll stay with Captain Levi" He told Levi.

They didn't look pleased.

At the same time with the same amount of distaste "_You want me to stay with him_?"

Erwin quirked his eyebrows up in amusement.

They both realised what they had done and gave each other glares before turning away.

Levi paled suddenly then he said to Erwin "Wait, I live with his/my squad don't I?"

"You got a problem with that?" Captain Levi said, eyes narrowing.

Levi looked down at his clenched fists then said slowly "No…no problem at all"


	12. The Light Before The Storm

**(So past characters I will mention their surname afterwards, future characters I will just mention just their names)**

"I think I'm going to be sick" Jean muttered as they sat in the wagons that were taking them to the trainee camps.

"Tell me about it" Connie mumbled, he had his head in his knees, not looking at anyone.

Armin frowned and said seriously "I'm more worried about how our'll past selves will react. It feels strange even saying that"

Jean groaned, his hands rummaged through his hair as he said "I was such a brat back then"

"Back then?" Eren sniggered.

Jean glared at him but there was no real venom behind it.

The wagon hit more of a bumpy road as they entered the trainee camp.

Sasha straightened up and said positively "I'm just glad to be back with all of you guys"

Connie looked up quickly, his cheeks flushing red though no one noticed as they all smiled warmly at her.

Armin asked, raising his eyebrows at her "How'd the counceling sessions go?"

Sasha smirked, her eyes lighting up more "Pretty good I'd say. She never wanted to see me again"

Eren snorted loudly.

Armin turned to Connie "I heard you managed to avoid them to?"

Connie rolled his eyes "He liked to have a good chat. Nothing to chat about? Basically piss of"

Jean said sarcastically "You gave him the silent treatment? Real mature"

"I'd like to see with him! Seriously he was hell. Kept on asking these stupid personal questions" Connie huffed.

"Thats what Councerlers are supposed to do Connie" Jean pointed out dryly.

Connie opened his mouth to retort then the guy steering the wagon yelled out "You're almost there, get ready"

Jean turned very pale "Thats it, I am going to be sick"

"Get sick on me and I'll-" Eren was about to say as he was squashed up right next to Jean but Jean interrupted "You'll what? Eat me?"

Eren smirked "Na, you probably taste foul"

Jean snorted "_Thanks_"

Mikasa watched the group interact with each other in the back. You hear them now and you'd never think that much has changed, Jean and Eren arguing but…

It wasn't arguing.

Eren didn't look at all upset and Jean was smiling, their tones more playful than anything.

Eren and Jean getting along, who'd have thought.

Jean teased "You also probably couldn't do it. Spend to much time crying about it, like almost every fight before you turn Titan"

Eren's eyes widened "Hey, I do not do that!"

He turned to Mikasa "Tell him!"

Mikasa coughed and looked away.

"Armin?" Eren pleaded.

Armin fidgeted "Ah, sorry Eren"

"You guys" Eren begged Sasha and Connie.

She just smiled at him playfully.

Connie smirked "Sorry, he kind of does have a point"

Eren pouted childishly, crossing his arms and huffed "You guys are great support"

"Of course" Sasha giggled.

Suddenly the wagon came to a stop.

The happy mood dropped instantly.

_I was to caught up in feeling good about finally being with my friends again I almost completely forgot where we were going_ Sasha thought shakily.

Everyone had similar thoughts.

Jean's mind went black then.

As they got out of the wagon, he stopped, his breathing fast, it started to hit home what was actually happening.

"I…I'll see _Marco_ again" Jean choked out.

His hands shaking.

Armin said softly and sadly "We'll all see a lot of people again"

Connie put a comforting hand on his shoulder as they got out of the wagon "I know, it'll be okay though"

They all stood on the Trainee Camp as the wagon left them.

"You think, you think we can save him?" Jean asked, almost desperately.

Eren fidgeted uncomfortably as he said "I don't know. Hange told us Tarry would be getting his machine to help. Show us who has to die and who we can save. Hange said she'd send us all a letter of the people who dies and we are able to save, didn't she?"

"Yeah, yeah I think she did" Sasha said.

"Sorry I wasn't paying attention at that point. Marco, he'll be on that list, right? _Right?_" Jean said, as if his fellow comrades would know the answer.

Mikasa opened her mouth but Eren interrupted her knowing Jean didn't really need Mikasa's blunt answer, he needed some hope "Yeah" He said "Sure he will"

Jean looked a little better at that, the shaking lessoning.

Suddenly they heard some wrenching.

All eyes turned on Connie.

He said shakily to Jean "Y-you know when you said you might be sick…Well…"

Well Armin thought, thats one way to distract everybody…

Jean grimaced, he sure vomit wasn't normaly colour?

"What have you been eating over the last few days? Seriously?" Eren demanded, looking sick himself.

Connie gulped, standing up, stomach now empty "Er, nothing that digestible it seems"

Everyone made noises of disgust.

Sasha said awkwardly as they moved forward "Sure its okay to just leave it there? What if someone steps in it?"

"Connie?" Jean asked.

His eyes wide "What, why me?"

"It did come from your body" Jean said, raising his eyebrows at the smaller teenager.

"I am no way cleaning that up. I feel like I'm going to be sick again just by looking at it" Connie groaned, covering his mouth.

"_Don'_t" Eren warned.

Mikasa changed the subject and said stiffly, walking on ahead "We'll be in separate bedrooms from the trainees. And Hange told us to meet with Keith Shadis before we even think about meeting with our past selves and the other trainees.

She pointed towards his office, that was closer to the fields and attached on the building were they kept all the titan swords.

Armin took a deep breath.

Everybody cleared their minds and focused.

Okay Armin thought, _here we go…_


End file.
